Arch support



P. 5. DOUMITT ARCH SUPPORT May 23, 1933.

Filed March 30, 1951 4 TT'UFIKNE Patented May 23, 1933 mm: s. w rm. omrsjkamn, onneoiv 1 sorrow Application filed March so, 1931;?Ser1a1 no iszaiss i This invention relates generally to supporting devices forthe fee n Particularly to an improved archsupport. 1

structure which is so arranged that the The main object of this invention is to provide an improved form of arch support which will have {a wide range of adjustment and tomake it possible to support the foot .atthep'recise *pointand in the degree required. 1 1 i I 3 The second object is to provide a unitary manufacturer needconcern himself only with :providing a variety: of sizes corresponding with shoe sizesgleaving itto the'specialist, the

shoe salesman or the user to insert or shift the filling-materials to meet the requirements. The third object is to :provide a special form of metatarsal pad foruse in connection with thearch support a T a The! fourth 7 obj ect is v to: so construct the archsupportas to make it possible to easily narrowlthe shoes at the arches, i toprovide longitudinal arch corrections, as well as to provide all necessaryrorrections for the heels illustratedin the accompanying drawing, in

Fig. lis abottom VlGW'Of the arch support. ig. 2is a plan of the arch support.

Fig. 3is'simi1arto Fig. 2, but showing additional heel padding inserted from the. top side. i

o a'isa section taken along the line {l4i in Fig. 2-, illustrating the form the device may i assume within the shoe under the pressure of thefoo't. i a 1 Fig. 5 is a section taken along the line 5,5 in Fig. 2.,- t J v j Fig. 6 is a perspective viewofthe metatarsal pad with parts broken away in sec -tion.

Fig. 7; is a! ly has the effect of o the arch.

perspective view showing the Lil.

device and its relation to the foot of i the w wearer. l a I Similar numbers of reference refert'o the same or similar a parts throughout the severalk views.

front of the metatarsal joint. This insole 10 and fabric joinedby a suitable adhesive. j On the top sideofthe insole lOisplaced a cover 11 of smooth, pliable material, preferably leather, and departing fromthe shape of the support. The word outer? is'used with relation "tothe :foot undenwhich this sup- :port isworn. v i i a i On the under side of the extension 12 is secured a somewhat rectangular piece of soft leather 13which forms a bottom for the extension fiap 12. The piece13is provided secured to the extension flap. 12 'by' means of "a continuous seam '15. Asojft paddingsuch as floss 16 is insertedthrough the slit l lto provide the desired thickness which obvious- The second difference between the shape of the insole 10 and the coverll is over the curvedinner edge17 of theinsole10 where the cover ll is provided with an outwardly narrowing the shoe at The device consists of a relatively thick and stiff insole for the rearmost portion of the shoe includingthe heel and extending in may be'of all leather or laminated leather 2,

insole 10 in twoparticulars only; the first 9190 forming a somewhaturectangular extension 12whichjis' formed on the outer side of the with a longitudinal slit 14. The-pieced?) isii These and other objects, will become, more apparent fromlthe specification following, as.

curving flap- 18. On the'under sideof the insole 10 isseoured a series of longitudinal arch-correcting pads 19;. 20 and 21 which are somewhat similar in shape although of diminishing size with the smallest pad 19 lowerniost. Each of the pads 19, 20 and 21 is made of two plies of leather which areunited around theiredges and securedto the insole .10 by means of their respectiveseams 22.

Each of the pads 19, 20 and 21 is providedfi.

with a slit 23 which extends longitudinally through the lower ply of its respective pad. Each of the pads 19, 20 and 21 may be padded through the slits 23 and will contain more or less floss 24 to meet the requirements. The floss is inserted after the support is built.

On the under side of the heel portion of the insole 10 is secured a thin leather heel 25. Under the heel 25 is secured a horseshoe shaped heel seat 26 which is stitched to the heel 25 by two rows of stitching 27. The heel seat 26 is provided with a plurality of slits 28 through which floss 29 may be inserted into the heel seat. The entire heel 25 is now secured to the insole .10 by meansof the seam 30 which extends entirely around the heel 25. A longitudinal seam 31'along the center line of the heel 25 also assists in securing the heel to the insole 10,: but its primary purpose is to divide the heel into two sections towhich access is gained through the slits 32 parallel to and on opposite sides of the seam 31 Floss 33 may be inserted through the slits 32 for the purpose of corrooting a tendency to wear the heel of the shoe unevenly. Strictly speaking, it is to correct the tipping of the heel of the foot which causes-the heel of the shoeto wear out on: one-side.

'Itwill be noted that the cover 11 is secured to the insole 10, along its forward edge by means of the seam 34 providing an open pocket between the members 10 and 11 behind the seam 34. It is in this pocket that the metatarsal pad shown in Fig. 6 is placed. l his' pad consists of a somewhat heel-shaped two-ply pad" 35'whose under side 36 is provid ed' with a slit: 37 forthe insertion of the flbss38; the side of'the pad 35 opposite the side 36 is secured a smaller pad 39'which is provided with a: slit 40: for the insertion of floss 41. The side 42. of the pad 35' conforms somewhat tothe curvature of' the seam 34 (as shown in Fig; 21).

In: order to definitely locatethe metatarsal pad av thumb-tackis'inserted through the slit which embeds itself in'the insole 10 as. soon as pressure is brought to bear, upon the coverll'.

In the form shown in Fig; 3 the slits 28 and stitching 27 pass through the top cover 10, which ifs-advantageous under certain conditions. Obviously, when used on the top side of the device they are unnecessary on the bottom thereof. i

It can be seen from the foregoing that whilethis construction is relatively simple, it provides a wide range of adjustment in the shape and size of that portion of the shoe which most seriously affects the comfort of the wearer.

In comeinstances it maybe found desirable to permanently locate the metatarsal pad by sewing a seam. aroundsame, thereby fastening it'to either or both the insole 10 and the cover 11. Obviously, the enclosed area must be padded to suit the needs of the wearer, and this is accomplished by forming a flap in the insole portion of the pad for the introduction of suitable padding material. In this form of the device the separate pad shown in Fig. 6 is not required.

With this construction it is desirable to extend the seam 34 clear around the edges of the insole, that is, joining with the seam 27 Otherwise, the construction is identical with the first described form of the device.

Attention is drawn to my copending application, Serial Number 455,890, over which this device is an improvement.

I claim:

1;. longitudinal arch-correcting device consisting of an insole having a plurality of separately fillablepads mounted in superimposed relationship on the under sideof the shank portion of the arch support and projecting outwardly from-the outerl i ne of said shank portion of the insole.

2'. An arch correcting deviceconsisting of an insole having aplurality of pads secured on the under side thereof, each of said pads having openings at intermediate portions thereof for the insertion and distribution-of the filling, and having theperiphery of each pad closed. I I I r 3. 'An arch support consistingof an insole having asomewhat rectangular Sl'IOG-Ifl-EXIIOW- ing flap secured along the outer edge of' one side of the insole adjacent the shank portion of the arch support, and a plurality'of superimposed longitudinal arch correctin g pads. secured under the said shank portion and extending laterally and upwardly along the inner side of the foot.

4. An arch support consistingofr am insole having aflexible heel secured thereto, said heelhaving a horseshoe-shaped heel seat secured around the curved portion thereofithe area within said heel seat having a longitudinal subdividing seam and having slits" formed along opposite. sideswtliereof for the introduction of padding, saidi' horseshoeshaped' heel seat also having slitsformed therein for the introduction of padding withinthe heel seat portionof thedevice:

5. An arch support consisting. of a relatively stiff insole, a flexible'coverfor said'insole having a. somewhat rectangular shoenarrowing flap extending from one. side thereof opposite the shank portion of the arch support, a cover for said fiapoutside of said insole, said cover having a slit formed therein for the introduction of padding, and a metatarsal padbetween said insole and cover. j

6. A metatarsal pad consistingof a threeplyheel-shaped pad having a continuous seam around the edge thereof, the'outer plies of said pad having slits formed therein for the introduction of padding. and means for securingsaid pad in positionunderthe metatarsal joint. I n 7. Anarch support consisting of an insole for the shoe having the toe portion cut away i and rounded directly in front of the metatarsal joint, acover for said insole secured thereto around the curved portion of the heeland along the rounded portion of said front edge, said cover extending laterally beyond the boundaries of said insole at the shankportion thereof, said cover having a pocket formed along one side thereof within i the area extending beyond said insole.

1 PHILIP s. DOUMITT.

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